Steam and dry iron



Jan. 5, 1954 J. n. vosKEsl-:Nsm

STEAM AND DRY IRON Filed Aug- 17, 1951 IN VEN TOR.

JdCU l Vasi/71656125@ Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES; TENTA OFFICE STEAM AND DRY IRON Jacob D. Vo'skresenski, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 17, 1951, Serial No. 242,294

Claims.

This invention relates to an improved steam and dry ironA The object of this invention is to provide a Steam iron with several distinct advantages in construction over current types of steam irons which advantages or features make the steam iron of this invention easier to operate and hence more practical and useful.

g The feature ofthis invention is the supply- `ing of steam to the article being ironed in ad- Vance of, and while moving the iron across the article whether in a frontward or backward diregnen.

- However, if the operator desires to iron dry, he may shut off the supply of steam and use the device of this invention as a dry iron.

An equally important feature of this invention is the controlling of the supply of steam through either the front or rear ports of the iron to the article beingkironed as desired. The operation of the means for controlling the supply of steam is simple and coincides with the normal movement by hand of any iron over an article to be ironed.

The several features and advantages of the steam iron of this invention will be more fully understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of such steam iron along with the attached drawing of same, in which like reference characters designate the same elements in the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view along line I-I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View along line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial side elevation view with a broken away section to show relative positions Aof elements in hand controlling `means when iron "is moving backward.

Figure 4 is a side elevation View with a portion broken away to show the relative position of elements in handv controlling means when iron is moving forward.

Figure 5 is a view of the bottom of the iron 'with some steam ports shown and fragmentary sections broken away from the remaining front and rear ports to show their relation to steam chambers and also other details of construction of the iron.

Most of the details of construction and feathe .handle .and the Water level in the combina-l` tion water and steam chamber. In this position no steam is discharged through either the front or rear ports. Thus the iron of this invention can be used optionally as any dry iron because the heat is imparted to the flat ironing surface by an electrical element which also heats the water in the steam and water chamber. However, when using this iron as a dry iron the handle which operates the steam controls must be held in a normally horizontal position so that the front and rear steam valves are held in closed position, or the operator may fasten the shut on' of steam supply during dry ironing.

The water chamber of the steam iron is indicated as 6 and the upper section of the chamber becomes a steam dome when the water is heated sufficiently by electrical element l. The heating element is encased in the bottom of the iron by a flat ironing surface 8 and connection between usual electric'cords and the heating element 1 is made by wiring not shown to the electrical terminals 9.

A plurality of steam ports represented by ID are located in the fiat ironing surface 8 around the front end of the iron and a similar plurality of ports II are located in the flat surface 8 around or across the back end of the iron. The front ports I0 lead to the forward steam chamber I2 while the rear ports II connect with the rear steam chamber I3. The front steam chamber I2 may encircle the forward part of the iron and back along the sides of the iron as far as desired. Similarly the back steam chamber I3 may extend across the back as shown and also extend back along the sides of the iron as desired. However, in order to accomplish one of the features of the iron of this invention the front and rear steam chambers cannot be connected. The chambers are formed between the wall of the combination water and steam chamber B and the outside casing I4 of the iron. In areas of the side walls beyond the limits of front steam chamber I2 and rear steam chamber I3 the casing I4 and wall 6 of the combined steam and water chamber are contiguous as seen in Figures 2 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.

A steam valve I 5 controls the passage of steam from the steam zand water chamber 6 to the front steam chamber I2 and a similar valve I6 con trols passage of steam into the rear chamber I3. In Figure 1 the two steam valves I5 and IB are shown in closed positions. In Figure 4 valve I5 is open and I6 is closed which would be their relative positions when the iron is being moved forward. In Figure 3 front valvel I5 is closed While rear valve IE is open which would be their relative positions when the iron is being moved backward. The operation of these steam valves I 5 and I6 is accomplished by handle I 'I which is free to rock on pin I8 in trunnion I9 which is bolted by means 20, or in any other way connected to casing I4.

A strip of spring steel 2| is fastened to the underside of handle I1 by any means, such `as bolts 22, and is .preformed so that its two end sections bear down on the heads of valve stems 23 and 24 so as to keep steam Valves I5 and I6 closed as shown in Figure 1. The usual means to seal the steam in chambers 'f`Il2wand .132, such as packing glands, rings, etc., around the Valve stems, are shown. In additioncoil springs 2'5 and 26 are shown around'the valve Astems 23 and 24 so as to press upwards under the heads of the stems. These springs would cause both steam valves I5 andV I5 to pop open were it not for the resistance vto such 'movement provided by spring steel 2 I. The` strip of spring steel normally has to overcome the combined-pressure of the coil spring Vpushing the `head ofthe valve stern up and the steam pressure pushing up against the steam valve. y Y Y .When 'the operator of the steamiron decides to move it forward, he, naturally presses on the rear of the handle so that the frontof the iron will slide over the article being "pressed Thus in the normal operation of the iron he incline's the handle down in the rear and 'it rocks on'pin `I8 so that the forward part of vthe handle is up. This movement ofthe handle 'causes steam valve I5 to open up whereas `steam valve I6 is rmly shut as shown in Figure 4.` Y*

Similarly if the voperator `decides vto pull the iron backwards across-the article being ironed, he bears down'onfthe forward end ofn the handle, vand thus on the frontfo thefiron, `therebyreleasing pressure on the vback end of the rockable handle and the back of the iron, Vso that the iron will slide backward over the v-article being ironed, This manipulation of vthe handle in turn closes steam valve l5 tight and allows steam valve I6 to open as shown-in Figure 3. Y

The obvious reason for so `operating the 'handle of the steam iron is t'o simultaneously operate the steam valves and thus vsupply moist steam through ports IQ when moving -the-ironforwar'd while ironing, and through ports III when mov.- ing the iron backward. I'hus supplying moist steam to the article being .'ironed Vveliminates otherwise sprinkling or wetting the article 'before ironing. Thus it will be obs'erv'ed. the use of thesteam iron of this invention is .to a degree foolproof because Ythe manipulating o'f the steam valves by the handle Acorresp'onds with the natural movement of the Ypress'ers farm in :iron- Wate'r may 'be suppliedtothe combined water and steam chamber Athrough-fa v port closed by removable plug '21"showninFi'gure2. e

As already explained, fthe passage of steam from the steam dome into either iront or rear steam chambers and thence to the Vfront or Vrear steam ports is stopped by :the closing 'of 'steam valves I5and ilowh'en itheiron is Ain a horizonta1-positionas 'shown fin Figure l. But if the operator wishest'o use the iron ofA this linverrtio'n as a dry iron nlanyinclinedspositi'on, ne can lock the rockable -handleinra `position ,paralle] to the ironing "surface 8 Iby any suitable means 28 -indicatedin -Figure 2. The operator 'can also use the steam Yiron-'as fa adry .iron `with `lishments with only one incidental change.

centralsteam boiler and the steam is piped to the different pressing stations. For such uses the iron of this invention would require only a flexible hose connection for supplying steam into the opening shown in Figure 2 after removal of plugl'l. In such case the chamber 6 would not be charged with water. to be converted by heat kinto steam rbut would vbe suppliedsteam from a central source, and the steam from the chamber would be supplied tothe Vfront and rear ports of the iron and Lotherwise controlled, 'as previously described.

vOther modifications and constructions of the Vfeatures vof this inventionzare possible but the principles of control and distribution of steam as Vwell as themeans for doing that as illustrated and described herein are claimed as invention. .4

1. A combination steam and dry iron comprising a .body havinga `waterchamber therein and front andrearsteam chambers about the Water chamber spaced therefrombya Wall, a bottom plateihaving'aforward.portion formed with openings communicatingwithth'e front vsteam chamber anda rearportion ,formed with openings communicating with the rear steam chamber, a heating unitforheatingjthebottom plate and waiter in thev water chamber, said wall having at its top a front openingconnecting the front steam chamber with the water chamber and a rear opening connecting the rear steam chamber with the waterc-hamber, front and rear valves individually movabledownwardly into closing relation to the iront and rearl-openingsfspring means .urging said valves upwardly 'outrrofy `closing 'relation to the openings, a handle over said body pivoted ybetween the valves for rocking movement-and having a front portion'ovlerhanging the front Avalve and a rear portion overhanging the rear valve :and when rockedfin predetermined 'directions out .of a horizontal position serving to hold fone vvalve closed while allowing lthezother valve -to move u'pvs'xardlyf tofan.openedposition.v g Y 2. The-structurefoficlaimd*whereinthe handle carries spring means engaging tupper ends-.of the valves :and-holding bothvalvesfclosed when the handle iisfinits horizontal .position but allowing excessive steam pressuregin the Ysteam chamber to move the valves upwardly to an 4opened position. Y Y

3. The structure of claim-l wherein each valve hasfa stemextending upwardlyandfhaving a head at its upperendv-the-springmeans for urging .the valves lupwardlyconsislfll fof helical Asprings ntting about the Valve stems with their Yupperends bearing ,againstithe heads of lthefstems and Yexert-- ing upwardjpressure thereon. g

v4. 'Ihe ystructure of fclam ,1 including spring means yieldably resisting .upward movement Yof the valves andconsistingof an elongatedresilient 4strip extending llongitudinally of the handle and secured intermediate its length to an under surface of the handle, end portions of the resilient strip being free from the handle and bearing upon the valves and yieldably resisting upward move ment of the valves.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein the valves have stems projecting upwardly from the body of the iron, the valves being urged upwardly towards an opened position by springs mounted about the valve stems, and the spring means resisting upward movement of the Valves to an opened position consists of a resilient strip secured to the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10 2,418,511 Hume L Apr. 8, 1947 2,433,556 Hume Dec. 30, 1947 

